The present invention relates to camera stands and means and methods of supporting cameras, and particularly, although not exclusively, to a stand for holding a digital camera to allow the digital camera to act as a document capture device in obtaining digital images suitable for downloading to a personal computer.
It is known in the prior art to employ flat bed scanners or hand held scanning devices to digitally record an image, commonly being a paper-based document e.g. a letter or photograph. Such scanning devices can download the digitally recorded data to a computer or other image processor where the data can be displayed on a visual display unit. This process enables the user to download an image of a document to a computer where the document can be manipulated or amended to the users satisfaction. Following this, the document may be e-mailed, used in an electronic fax transmission or simply printed. Flat bed scanners are an additional option to incorporate into a desk top computer at additional expense. Known flat bed scanners comprise a base unit having a scan area to support a document or object being scanned. The flat bed scanner has a size dependent on the size of document for which the scanner is intended to image. Thus the desk top xe2x80x9cfoot printxe2x80x9d of the scanner can be relatively large. Conventional flat bed scanners have resolutions of the order of 600 dpi, which provides relatively high quality images, and it is common with more expensive prior art scanners to have resolutions higher than 600 dpi.
Known hand-held scanners provide a somewhat less expensive facility for scanning images into conventional personal computers. These usually comprise a hand held device which is passed over the document to be scanned thus recording a digital version of the document. However, hand-held scanners often suffer from lack of quality in that they rely on the user having a steady hand.
Scanners are known in the prior art being used to obtain digital images of a target object. These digital images may be used to recreate an image of the target object on the visual display unit of a users personal computer.
European patent application EP 0840200 A2 describes an interactive desk top system including a camera capturing images present on a work surface. This type of system includes a scanning element in the form of a camera for capturing images. In this example of the prior art the scanning element is a specifically manufactured device forming an integral part of the imaging assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,283 describes a reading device for the visually impaired. This device includes specially selected components to form a scanning unit mounted in a housing, positioned above a document placed on a scan bed.
Recently, there have appeared digital cameras which have enabled an individual user to take high quality pictures, stored as digital images which can be downloaded to the users personal computer. This is also the case with digital video cameras. In fact many digital video cameras can be used as a still frame camera as well as for recording moving images.
The resolution of digital cameras is rapidly increasing already being sufficient to capture legible images of A4/US letter pages and text and will soon be able to rival the resolution provided by a flat bed scanner.
The inventors of the present invention have realized the potential for using digital cameras as scanning devices for obtaining digital images which may be downloaded, viewed and manipulated on a personal computer. The inventors have realized that digital cameras purchased on the high street and those intended for the individual user at home rather than just the professional can be suitably manipulated to perform a document capture function equivalent to the scanning function provided by flat bed and hand held scanners in that a digital image is captured. The inventors have realized that in order to make use of digital cameras in performing a document capture function a suitable stand must be provided which holds the camera in a steady position above the material to be imaged during document capture. To increase the versatility of the stand the inventors have included features of portability and multiple compatibility with a range of digital cameras. Thus the present invention allows the user to improve an existing function or to perform additional functions to those originally intended by the manufacturer of the digital camera. That is, the digital camera may be used as a scanner to capture an image. In this way, a user who owns a digital camera is saved a considerable cost when comparing the typical cost of a flat bed scanning device with that of a stand for supporting a digital camera to perform an equivalent document capture operation.
The inventors have also realized that the present invention removes the need for a fixed amount of space to house equipment to capture an image of a document. That is, a stand for supporting a digital camera to perform the document capture function provides for a small desktop footprint than a flat bed scanner and is further easily removable when not in use. Further, the inventors have realized that such a stand removes the incidental costs, and time taken to familiarize with each device, involved in owning both a digital camera and a scanner.
One object of the specific embodiments of the present invention is to provide a document capture stand to support a digital camera or digital video camera to operate in a document capture mode in obtaining digital images of an object in view of the cameras optic, and thus perform an equivalent function to that of a conventional scanning device.
A second object of the specific embodiments of the present invention is to provide a document capture stand compatible with one or several makes and models of digital camera or digital video camera, the stand enabling the camera to be appropriately positioned above the object to be imaged and enabling focusing of said camera such that a high resolution image can be recorded.
A third object of the specific embodiments of the present invention is to provide a document capture stand with means to configure a digital camera or digital video camera supported by said stand to operate in a document capture mode in recording a high resolution digital image of an object to be imaged.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a stand to hold a digital camera, said stand comprising:
at least one supporting member;
wherein said supporting member has at least one first end;
wherein said first end includes a base portion;
said supporting member having a second end including camera retaining means;
said stand including means for configuring said camera to perform a document image capture function for capture of a digital image of a document.
Preferably said means for configuring includes at least one projection in said retaining means for co-operating with a function switch of said camera.
Said means for configuring further may comprise electrical connections with said camera.
Preferably an action of placing said camera in said stand causes interaction of control switches on said camera with protrusions on said stand, and automatically configures said camera to zoom in or out to catch a predefined scan area, to determine a clarity and resolution of an image formed by said camera and focus the image to enable the camera to be used for performing a document capture function, equivalent to that performed by a prior art document scanner device.
Preferably placing said camera in said stand activates a mode of operation in said camera such that said camera automatically focuses onto a scan area at the base of said stand.
Suitably said retaining means comprises a case adapted to receive said camera and having a plurality of apertures to enable operation of said camera.
Preferably said retaining means is adapted to hold said camera in an orientation and spacing from the base of said stand such that said camera has a view of a scan area of size and shape suitable for placement of an object which is to be the subject of a captured image by said camera.
Preferably said stand includes at least one light source for projecting light to illuminate the object being scanned. The stand may include a plurality of light sources, arranged to illuminate an object plane of said camera in a manner in which light is not reflected directly back at said digital camera.
Preferably a said light is activated by placing said camera into said stand.
Preferably the supporting member is adjustable in height. Preferably the supporting member includes at least one hinge section.
Preferably said base portion comprises means for securing said stand in position.
Preferably said base portion is configured to house an object, which is to be the subject of a captured image by said camera, in a scan area.
Preferably said stand further comprises viewing means to aid camera operation.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of capturing a digital image using a digital camera capable of performing a document image capture function comprising the steps of:
fitting said camera to a stand;
configuring said camera to operate in a document image capture mode;
pointing said camera at a document which is to be the subject of a captured image; and
operating said camera to record a digital image of said document.
Preferably the method further comprises the steps of:
connecting a means for downloading at least one recorded digital image to aid camera;
connecting said downloading means to a computer;
configuring said camera to send said at least one digital image to said computer, and
configuring said computer to receive said at least one digital image.
Preferably said step of configuring said camera to operate in a document capture mode occurs automatically on fitting said camera to said stand by physical contact of a switch element on said camera with said stand. Said step may comprise:
configuring said camera""s optic to zoom in or out to capture a predefined scan area;
determining the clarity and resolution of the image formed by said camera;
focusing the image received by said camera.
Preferably said step of configuring said camera to operate in a document capture mode occurs automatically on fitting said camera to said stand by physical contact of a switch element on said camera with said stand, said step comprising:
adjusting the focal length of said camera to a predetermined length, said predetermined length being a distance between a scan area at the base of said stand and a position of an image plane of said camera when secured within said stand.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of:
operating and positioning a light source on said stand to illuminate the object being scanned.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of processing said image to optimize the image clarity and quality.
According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a system for capturing digital images of a document, said system comprising:
a digital camera;
a stand to support said camera; and
a computer,
wherein said stand includes at least one supporting member, a base member for securing said supporting member in an upright orientation, and a camera retaining means for rigidly securing said digital camera, said stand supporting said camera in a position suitable for operation of said camera in recording a digital image of said document.
Preferably placing said camera into said stand automatically configures said camera to zoom in or out to capture a predefined scan area, to determine a clarity and resolution of image formed by said camera and to focus the image to enable said camera to be used as a scanner capable of performing a document capture function.
Preferably placing said camera into said stand activates a mode of operation in said camera such that said camera automatically focuses onto a scan area at the base of said stand.
Preferably said retaining means is adapted to hold said camera in an orientation and spacing from the base of said stand such that said camera has a view of a scan area of size and shape suitable for placement of an object which is to be the subject of a captured image by said camera.
Preferably, the system further comprises means for electrically connecting said camera to said computer to enable downloading of digital images from said camera to said computer.
Preferably said stand further comprises at least one light activated by placing said camera into said stand.
Preferably said computer includes means for processing images captured by said camera to optimize the image clarity.
Preferably said computer includes means for processing images captured by said camera to optimize the quality of monochrome images obtained using a color image sensor.
In all aspects of the present invention said digital camera may be a digital video camera. The digital camera is detachable from said stand and usable in a stand alone context.